Special Educational Needs

Below you will find some useful contacts and resources for help and information during this challenging time. If you need further help or information please contact Miss Fodder (SENDCo) through the school’s admin email.

Special Educational Needs Policy

Special Educational Needs, Disabilities and Family Support

Below is Wanstead Church School's Special Educational Needs SEND Report

The London Borough of Redbridge provides a local offer for SEND

The Family Services Directory also provides information on all services for families in the borough, including Children's Centre information, Family Services, Places to go with Children and Health Services. Information Officers can be contacted through the website, providing information and guidance on a range of areas from childcare advice to SEND advice.

If you have further queries about the information below, wish to give feedback or require signposting to local services please contact the SENDCo (Miss Fodder) through the school office.

Wanstead Church School's SEND information report/ school offer

An overview of the school

As the Church of England School of the Parish of Wanstead, we seek to work in partnership with home and church to offer excellence in education rooted in the Christian Faith. We seek to serve and nurture all the children in our care that they may realise their full potential.

It is our aim that every child at our school is valued as a person created in the image of God. Pastoral care is our top priority.

Wanstead Church School is one form primary school, with one class per year group. The Early Years Foundation Stage provision includes a Nursery where children attend on a part-time basis.

Identifying children’s additional needs

How will the school know if my child needs additional help and how will the school share information with me?

The school requests information about any medical or developmental difficulties from parents or carers before the child begins school. Class teachers and the SENCo share information about known learning needs.

Special needs are identified by ongoing class teacher assessment throughout the year and regular screening and assessment procedures. Members of staff receive in-service training to assist prompt identification of any learning difficulty.

Information from parents or carers and other agencies, e.g. medical services, is passed on to the class teacher and SENCo. Concerns raised by parents or carers at open evenings or other meetings with class teachers are logged and parents are informed of the outcomes of any resulting actions.

The class teacher differentiates aspects of the curriculum to cater for the particular needs of individuals or groups and monitors progress. The SENCo will work with staff to ensure that those pupils who may need additional or different support are identified at an early stage.

Dedicated contacts at the school

Who should I contact if I have any questions or concerns about my child's SEND?

All teachers are teachers of pupil with special educational needs and adapt the curriculum to meet the children’s needs, working in partnership with home. All teaching staff are involved in the development of the school’s special educational needs policy and are aware of the procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

The school SENCo also liaises with parents or carers of pupils with special educational needs and may be contacted through the school office in relation to questions or concerns about SEND.

Involving pupils and parents/carers in planning support

How will the school involve me as a parent and my child in meeting our SEND needs and in general school life?

Planning and review meetings
Advice on how to support learning at home
Regular contact between home and school, e.g. home/ school book, email or text
Individual pupil/ teacher conversations
Mentor, e.g. adult or peer mentoring

The school informs parents or carers when their child is receiving support for their special educational needs.

Partnership with parents or carers plays a key role in enabling pupils and young people with special educational needs and disabilities to make good progress in all areas of school curriculum. The school recognises that parents or carers hold key information and have knowledge and experience to contribute to the shared view of a pupil’s needs and the best ways to support them. All parents or carers of pupils with SEND will be valued as partners and supported to play an active and valued role in their pupil’s education. The school provide information about Parent Link, the Parents in Partnership Service and other support agencies to all parents or carers of pupils with special educational needs.

Parents or carers of any pupils with special educational needs may contact the Parent Partnership Service for independent support and advice. If parents or carers have concerns, they first talk to the class teacher. Parents/carers and pupils are invited to attend all reviews.

Range of support available to my child

What different kinds of support are available to children with SEND?

Curriculum adaptations/differentiation
Support for behaviour
Specified individual support
Support for health needs
Grouping of pupils
Specific individual support
Specialist teaching groups
Support for communication needs/ assistive technologies

External support services play an important part in helping the school identify, assess and make provision for pupils with special education needs. They also provide training to develop teaching and learning strategies. The school receives regular visits from the nominated Education Welfare Officer and Educational Psychologist for the school. Other Educational Psychologists also visit pupils who live out of the Borough. In addition the school may seek advice, with parental consent, from the following agencies:

Hatton Outreach Service for specialist teaching advice and strategies for learning
New Rush hall School Outreach Service for specialist teaching advice and strategies for behaviour and emotional difficulties
Churchfields Speech and language unit for specific language difficulties
Early Year’s Advisory and Support Service
Educational Psycholgist for specific learning difficulties
Speech and Language Therapist at Children’s Resource centre
Occupational Therapist
Physiotherapist
Special Education Resource Centre (SERC) at Newbridge School for ICT advice and support
Clinical Psychologist
CAMHS
School Health Nurse – physical wellbeing
Educational Welfare Officer – attendance at school
The Redbridge Tuition Service when a pupil is too ill to attend school
Social services for pupils with special educational needs that are Looked After by the LA
Carefree Kids – Therapeutic Play/Drama therapy
Feedback from these agencies is shared with parents or carers.

Measuring children’s progress

How will the school know how well my child is doing and how will they inform me about this?

Progress is reviewed formally every term and a National Curriculum level given in reading, writing and numeracy as well as progress in other areas, as appropriate, such as attendance, engagement in learning and behaviour.

If your child is in Year 1 and above, but is not yet at National Curriculum levels, a more sensitive assessment tool is used which shows their level in more detail and will also show smaller but significant steps of progress. The levels are called ‘P levels’.

At the end of each key stage (i.e. at the end of year 2 and year 6) all children are required to be formally assessed using Standard Assessment Tests (SATS). This is something the government requires all schools to do and are the results that are published nationally.

Children on the SEN register will have an IEP which will be reviewed with your involvement at least twice yearly. These meetings are needs driven and may be, in agreement with parents, more frequent. Informal ‘Catch up’ meetings are also welcomed at any point with parents and can be arranged directly with the SENCo or through the office.

The progress of children with a statement of SEN/ EHC Plan is formally reviewed at an Annual Review with all adults involved with the child’s education.

The SENCO will also check that your child is making good progress within any individual work and in any group that they take part in.

A range of ways will be used to keep you informed, which may include:

Home/school book
Letters/certificates sent home
Additional meetings as required
Reports

Support and training for school staff

Have any staff received specialist training in SEND?

LSAs delivering one to one Catch up Reading (2)
LSAs delivering one to one Catch up Numeracy (2)
Advice and training for LSAs working with identified children from outside agencies (Hatton School, SALT, Churchfields Language unit, Newbridge School, EYAS, Educational Psychology, New Rush Hall School)
NASENCO (1)
Early Years Language (1)
Supporting children with EAL (1)
Supporting children with Autism (1)
NQT: Supporting children with SEN (1)

Accessibility of the school

How is the school accessible to children with SEND?

As a school we are happy to discuss individual access requirements.
Facilities we have at present include:
Toilets adapted for disabled users.
Double doors in some parts of the building.
Level access through the main office to school building and level access through the Infant playground into all outdoor areas. There are no lifts to the junior classrooms on the first floor.

Inclusion

How will the school ensure that my child will be included in all activities at school, after school clubs and on school trips?

Activities and school trips are available to all. Risk assessments are carried out and procedures are put in place to enable all children to participate. If a health and safety risk assessment suggests that that an intensive level of 1:1 support is required a parent or carer may also be invited to accompany their child during the activity in addition to the usual school staff.

Starting or changing schools (Transitions)

How will the school support my child to change classes and/or move on to a new school when they reach the appropriate stage(s)?

On entry

A planned programme of visits for children/ carers joining the school Nursery including “First Steps to Nursery”.
Parent/carers are invited to a transition meeting at the school so that they know what to expect and are encouraged to share any concerns with the school. During this meeting in July children have the opportunity to spend time in class with their new teacher as part of a whole school ‘Transition Day’.
In September, prior to children starting, the reception teacher meets with children and parents.
Children start mornings only and are introduced to lunchtimes before staying full time. If parents or teachers feel a child is not ready for full time school they can remain part time.

Secondary transition

The year 6 staff works with children anxious about the move. This provides them with the opportunity to discuss any concerns they may have, if there is a need she may work alongside New Rush Hall or other external agencies.
Secondary school staff visit pupils prior to them joining their new school.
The SENCo meets the SENCos from the secondary schools to pass on information regarding SEN pupils.
Children attend a transition day particular to the school they are going to.
Opportunities to work with local secondary schools are actively encouraged so that children are familiar with them
For children with statements Secondary SENCos are invited to attend the annual review before transition.

Mid-year transition

Our induction for pupils arriving mid-year is under review.
Currently we give all children a tour of the school with their parent/carer.
Introduce children to their new teacher and show them where they will put their coats etc.
Complete an induction form with basic details including how parents feel they were progressing at their last school.
Agree the start date. In certain circumstances such as the child not having attended school before special starting arrangements may be agreed.
Contact the previous school for the child’s records. Where there are concerns the SENCo will be contacted by phone.

Support and training for parents/carers

What support and training within the school is available to parents and carers?

We are a small school that seeks to adapt to and meet the needs of families as they arise, please approach Miss Fodder (SENCo) if you have feedback or are seeking support and training. We have links to a number of specialist services, such as play schemes and parent training, as well as being open to providing provision through the school.

Further information for families and practitioners

If you wish to discuss your child’s educational needs or are unhappy about something regarding your child’s schooling please contact one of the following:

Your child’s class teacher

Miss Fodder SENCo
Mrs Denchfield (Headteacher)

Appointments can be made with any of these people through the school office.